The Bacon Brothers
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has announced that world-renowned bel canto soprano Sondra Radvanovsky and The Bacon Brothers, Michael and Kevin, are scheduled to perform at the 2026 Princeton Festival. At the core of the Festival, there is live opera with Festival veteran and current Met Opera star Toni Marie Palmertree returning to sing the title role in Puccini's Madama Butterfly. These major stars typify the quality of musical offerings to be found at this year's Festival which runs from June 5-21 on the grounds of Morven Museum & Garden.
Executive Director Marc Uys looks forward to welcoming everyone, artists and patrons alike, to this year's Festival. He says, "To have Sondra Radvanovsky and The Bacon Brothers heading our performance line-up and Toni Marie returning to perform Butterfly (straight from the Met stage in the same role) is truly exciting. We have always aimed to bring the highest level of talent across the broadest possible array of genres to give our patrons unique access to unforgettable, transportive evenings in a summertime garden setting. 2026 builds on that, with additional performances to be announced in the weeks to come."
Also on tap are An Evening of Dance with American Repertory Ballet and the PSO, Queen Nation's tribute to 70s rock band Queen, a jazz night centered on the Great Ladies of Jazz, orchestral concerts, and chamber music within its seasonal Pavilion and at Trinity Church, across the street.
The final weekend, June 19-21 will be devoted to Celebrating AMERICA at 250 with a showcase of American music and family fun that final Sunday. This special weekend is presented in partnership with the Municipality of Princeton.
Sondra Radvanovsky, photo by Michael Cooper
Sondra Radvanovsky performs popular opera arias and duets on Saturday, June 6 at 7:00pm with the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. The diva has invited tenor Victor Starsky, who sang the role of Cavaradossi in last year's Festival performance of Puccini's Tosca, to join her for this very special gala performance.
The Bacon Brothers perform Saturday, June 20 at 7:00pm as the centerpiece of the Festival's Celebrating AMERICA at 250 weekend. Emmy-winner composer Michael and A-list actor Kevin (Footloose, Apollo 13, The Woodsman) will play their own mix of folk, rock, soul, and country music.
Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly, an opera of love and betrayal, opens Friday, June 12 with a matinee performance on Sunday, June 14. In addition to Palmertree, Victor Starsky returns to portray Pinkerton and Nicholas Nestorak takes the role of Goro.
Victor Starsky, photo by Visual Victory Studios
The two-week-plus Princeton Festival includes three weekends of opera, concerts, and dance, with additional music-filled evenings and ancillary events during the week. Tickets for the above events are available by phone at (609) 497-0020 and online at: princetonsymphony.org/festival.
Additional events will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is a cultural centerpiece of the Princeton community and one of New Jersey's finest music organizations, a position established through performances of beloved masterworks, innovative music by living composers, and an extensive network of educational programs offered to area students free of charge. Led by Edward T. Cone Music Director Rossen Milanov, the PSO presents orchestral, pops, and chamber music programs of the highest artistic quality, supported by lectures and related events that supplement the concert experience. Its flagship summer program the Princeton Festival brings an array of performing arts and artists to Princeton during multiple weeks in June. Through PSO BRAVO!, the orchestra produces wide-reaching and impactful education programs in partnership with local schools and arts organizations that culminate in students attending a live orchestral performance. The PSO receives considerable support from the Princeton community and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, regularly garnering NJSCA's highest honor. Recognition of engaging residencies and concerts has come from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the PSO's commitment to new music has been acknowledged with an ASCAP Award for Adventurous Programming and a Copland Fund Award. The only independent, professional orchestra to make its home in Princeton, the PSO performs at historic Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University.
